


Into the Light of the Dark Black Night

by Impala_Chick



Series: Lord Balinor's son [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Action & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Balinor Lives (Merlin), Dragons, Father-Son Relationship, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Merlin wearing mail, POV Arthur, Swordfighting, Tournaments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-03-13 11:32:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18940069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Chick/pseuds/Impala_Chick
Summary: Arthur meets a beautiful blue-eyed boy at the Tournament. It turns out Lord Balinor's son is good with a sword, but he's harboring secrets. And he claims that a dragon is trapped under Camelot.





	1. a challenge accepted, a challenge refused

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Merlin Memory Month! This chapter inspired by Day 7, Path 3 "a challenge accepted, a challenge refused." 
> 
> Title from _Blackbird_ by The Beatles.

Arthur was on the training field, barely able to contain his excitement. Camelot was packed full of Lords and Ladies from all over Camelot who had descended upon it to take part in or watch the annual Tournament. It was Arthur’s favorite time of year. Not only would he be able to meet many new people and hone his craft as a warrior, but he’d be given the opportunity to prove himself to his father in a way that was straightforward and uncomplicated. Besides, there was nothing like the rush he got from knocking a man down in one-on-one combat as the crowd roared around him and he looked forward to feeling that rush again. 

As he was choosing which knife to throw at the standing target, he looked up and noticed a dark haired boy across the field, watching him. He had the bluest eyes Arthur had ever seen, and Arthur couldn’t look away. The boy eventually turned to look at someone standing to his right, but he'd already made Arthur curious.

Arthur put down his knife and sauntered over. The boy couldn’t have been much older than him, and he wore a blue tunic over his mail. He was tall and lanky and frankly didn’t look like a warrior at all, but his piercing blue eyes caught Arthur’s again and watched him approach. The crest on his front was a simple design of three cylindrical ice crystals jutting up from a horizontal black line. At his side was a slightly shorter boy with curly brunette hair, not wearing any mail. His eyes were narrowed suspiciously at Arthur before he’d even spoke. 

“Hello, welcome to Camelot,” Arthur said and stuck out his hand to the blue eyed boy, a smile on his face.

“Who are you, then. The welcoming committee?” The other boy quipped.

“Will,” the boy said warningly before turning to Arthur. “Look, I’m just here to practice. You suppose I could use some of those training dummies?” The boy gestured over to where the scarecrows were set up in a row down at the edge of the field. 

“Sure. If you want, I could show you a few things. I won the tournament last year,” Arthur said, hoping to impress his audience.

Will snorted.

“I’ll bet you did,” the boy said as he patted Arthur’s arm. 

Arthur felt insulted, and he wasn’t even sure why.

“You know, I was just trying to be polite,” Arthur said as he crossed his arms.

“Yes, I’m sure if you knew how to be polite that would have worked out a little better.” The boy took a step away from Arthur, trying to hide his smirk. Will had no compunctions about hiding his.

Arthur grabbed his arm as anger flared up in his chest. “Do you even know who I am?” He snapped.

The boy dragged his eyes slowly from the tips of his boots to the top of his head, and then glanced over at Will.

“Seems like just another brutish Knight to me, eh Will?”

Arthur huffed indignantly, completely thrown by the statement. No one ever spoke to him like that.

“I’m Prince Arthur, and you will show some respect,” he commanded in his most Kingly voice. It only made the boy smile widely, and Arthur felt his blood starting to boil.

“Do excuse me, M’Lord. I’m new here,” the boy said as he bowed his head, his eyes still on Arthur as he did so. 

“Tell me your name. Hopefully I get to destroy you in the tournament tomorrow,” Arthur spat as he crossed his arms. He had few other options. He couldn’t well put a Lord’s son in the stocks, and there was no one else around who had heard him except Will anyway. 

“I am Lord Balinor’s son, Merlin. And I look forward to it.” 

Merlin smiled wickedly and turned on his heel, Will in tow. Arthur watched him walk away, feeling completely out of his element. He considered chasing after him, but was at a loss for what else he could possibly say.

Instead, Arthur was determined to show Merlin exactly what he could do with a sword. 

\---

The next day, Arthur eagerly walked up to the tournament board only to be disappointed to see that Merlin’s ice crest wasn’t paired up against his. 

Arthur was in the first round of the day. He didn’t see Merlin while he warmed up, nor when Morgana called out the rules. His first opponent fell relatively easily after Arthur pressed his size advantage and dealt a hard blow to his ribs and then his shoulder. Arthur held his sword to his throat only a moment longer than necessary. He looked around hoping to see Merlin watching him but he didn’t see his blue eyes in the stands or in the crowd that had gathered at the entrance to the field.

Arthur waited for Merlin’s round. He stood off to the side of the battlefield as Merlin squared off with a shiny sword in hand. He waited for his much larger opponent to charge, and then parried confidently. What he lacked in strength he made up for in speed, and his footwork was cunning and calculated. He circled his opponent, dodged another heavy blow, and then struck his opponent in the back of the leg. The man fell to the ground with a grunt, and the crowd cheered as Merlin held his sword to the man’s throat. Merlin was no novice on the battlefield. 

Merlin stilled, and then turned his head and deliberately met Arthur’s eyes. Arthur’s heart started pounding furiously. Clearly Merlin had known he’d been standing there the whole time. 

\---

As the day wore on, Arthur struck down two more opponents and Merlin did the same. Every time Merlin was out on the pitch, his body movements were mesmerizing. He would stand around circling his adversary and looking almost awkward with his arms at his sides, until his opponent dared to underestimate him. And then Merlin would lunge forward and pull out his sword in one smooth movement, and it would become clear just how closely Merlin had been paying attention. Merlin was willing to play dirty, and there was never a moment's hesitation before Merlin dealt the winning blow. 

Arthur inhaled sharply when he saw his crest placed next to Merlin's on the fight board. They were to face each other in the final round. He didn’t wait for Merlin to notice for fear that those piercing blue eyes would distract him, and retreated to his tent to contemplate battle strategy.

He hadn’t been there long when Uther pulled back the tent flap.

“Arthur,” he said sharply. “Do you know who you are supposed to fight for the championship?” 

“Lord Balinor’s son? I can take him, Father. I’ve seen him fight today and-” Arthur started to explain. Uther cut him off. 

“I ordered Lord Balinor's banishment. He had _magic_. What if his son has the same?” Uther whispered harshly. He was wringing his hands, clearly panicked. “I didn’t even know he had a son. I should force this boy to withdraw. You should not have to fight him.”

“No!” Arthur said, a little too quickly. Uther waited for him to continue, and Arthur struggled to find the right words that would persuade his father to let him go through with the fight.

“I didn’t see him use magic during the tournament. Surely if he intended to, he would have used it already? Give me this chance to challenge him and put him in his place, Father.” 

Uther searched Arthur’s face for a moment before squeezing his arm. 

“Very well, son. You are brave, indeed. But if he uses magic, don’t hesitate to kill him.” Uther looked at him solemnly one last time, and then left Arthur alone. 

Arthur paced the tent, trying to figure out whether to feel emboldened or frightened. As he replayed Merlin’s fights in his head, he realized he probably wouldn’t be able to tell if Merlin was using magic. But Merlin had already proven himself to be a worthy opponent and he’d wielded his sword with skill. Arthur had never heard of a sorcerer using a sword.

No matter how arrogant and rude and disrespectful Merlin seemed to be, Arthur wanted to give him a fair chance just like he was any other adversary.

\---

Arthur walked into the middle of the arena and nodded up at Morgana. She smiled and waved, and then the tournament bell rang to signal the start of the round. Arthur turned around to see Merlin striding towards him, sword not even drawn. He had a helmet on, but Arthur could still see his eyes. He was watching Arthur carefully, but his body seemed relaxed and calm.

Arthur knew Merlin’s strategy had been to wait for his opponent to strike first, so Arthur circled him instead, his sword at the ready. Merlin drew his sword and crouched, waiting to strike.

“What are you waiting for, Pendragon?” Merlin taunted. 

“I should ask you the same,” Arthur said before deciding that he was done waiting. He struck downwards with his sword. Merlin swiftly moved to block him, and metal clashed against metal. The crowd roared, but Arthur barely noticed them. He stayed focused on Merlin as he slashed to the left and then the right. Merlin blocked him both times, but didn’t make any moves of his own.

Arthur stepped backwards, contemplating where he should strike next, but Merlin narrowed his eyes and Arthur only had a second to prepare himself before Merlin jabbed forwards. Arthur easily blocked him, but Merlin slid his sword down the length of Arthur’s and he knew what Merlin was trying to do.

“You really think you can disarm me?” Arthur asked. 

“Not like this,” Merlin said. Arthur could see the smile in his eyes even though he couldn’t see his mouth, and by then it was too late. Merlin kicked out his leg and hooked it behind Arthur’s, and then Arthur was flat on his back.

The crowd gasped as Merlin leaned down to press the tip of his sword to Arthur’s throat. The breath had been knocked from Arthur, but he still had his sword in hand. He contemplated striking upwards if Merlin made another move, but his whole body was shaking and they weren’t supposed to be fighting to the death anyway. He waited. Merlin didn’t move his sword arm, but he bent his head down slightly. 

“Meet me once the sun goes down, just outside the drawbridge the edge of the woods. Come alone,” Merlin whispered.

Arthur’s mouth fell open, but he didn’t have time to ask questions. Merlin put his sword back in his belt and reached out a hand for Arthur to grab. He let Merlin haul him back to his feet, and the crowd cheered. Arthur felt his cheeks burning from the embarrassment, but Merlin didn’t take time to gloat. He just turned around and walked out. Arthur couldn’t meet Uther or Morgana’s gaze and hurried to catch up to Merlin instead, but it was like he had completely disappeared.

Arthur’s heart was pounding long after the battle was over. He rushed to his tent, his embarrassment from losing nearly overshadowed by his embarrassment from how much he’d enjoyed Merlin’s display of skill. 

Just as Arthur got his breathing under control, Uther stormed into his tent and demanded to know whether Merlin used to magic. Arthur had to shake his head no, and watch his father’s face transform from an open expression of worry and panic into one of closed off disappointment.

Arthur felt alone and pushed away, and in that moment of weakness he decided not to tell Uther what Merlin had said. He would go alone and meet Merlin’s conditions.

\---

At dark, Arthur snuck out to the meeting spot, his skin tingling with anticipation. He kept his hand on the hilt his sword, half expecting Merlin to try to kill him. But he could have killed him on the battlefield if that’s what he intended to do all along. Arthur hoped the requested meeting had more to do with something far more pleasurable. Maybe the way Merlin’s gaze kept falling on him at the practice field was supposed to mean something after all.

“Hey,” someone hissed. Arthur whirled around and noticed Merlin peeking out from behind a tree. “Over here.”

Arthur jogged over. Merlin was just wearing a blue tunic and brown jacket, with a red handkerchief tied around his neck. He looked quite different without his mail on, but even in the dark his eyes shone brightly. 

“Tell me what I’m doing out here right now Merlin, or I’ll shout for the guards,” Arthur said. 

Merlin rolled his eyes. 

“Don’t be such a prat. I have to tell you something, and you can’t ask me how I know or why I know it.” 

“How are those acceptable terms?” Arthur asked, bewildered. 

Merlin took a deep breath and looked off into the woods, like he’d much rather be anywhere else. It seemed as if this meeting was not going to go the way Arthur had hoped.

“If I’d have known you were going to be this difficult, I seriously would have told Kilgharrah to shove it up his-” He rambled. Arthur was even more confused than he was before, so he interrupted Merlin before he could go any further.

“What are you talking about?” 

“There’s a dragon trapped under the Castle,” Merlin said with a shrug, as if that fact should have been obvious.

Arthur tensed, feeling threatened by mere mention of such a creature.

“I thought they were all dead,” Arthur whispered. “And how do you know?”

“What did I say about questions?” Merlin chided, his hand held up to silence him. Arthur huffed.

“And we’re going to free him, with or without your help,” Merlin added, his chin jutting out in defiance.

“Then why tell me?” Arthur asked, genuinely confused.

“I’ve been told it’s part of your destiny to help,” Merlin said reluctantly, his boot scuffing the earth as he spoke.

That statement only raised a million more questions, but Merlin was already turning to walk back into the woods.

“Wait, how do you know I won’t just alert the Knights?” Arthur asked as he crossed his arms. Merlin would need to sneak past no less than ten armed guards if he even wanted to reach the courtyard. There was no hope of success. Arthur nearly started laughing at the sheer absurdity of what Merlin's plan.

Merlin turned back around, and searched Arthur’s face. “You think I can’t do it,” Merlin finally said. 

“It doesn’t matter if I go alert them or not, you aren’t going to be able to set foot in the castle. And there’s nothing I will be able to do for you once you get caught,” Arthur said matter-of-factly. 

Merlin stepped right up into Arthur’s personal space until they were chest to chest. Arthur involuntarily sucked in a breath as the amusement drained from him. Merlin was staring him down with his shoulders square, his fists clenched, and his eyes fierce, and Arthur took back what he thought before. Merlin looked every inch the warrior. 

“Just watch me,” Merlin said. Arthur couldn’t think of a thing to say as Merlin ducked back into the forest. 

Arthur’s heart was pounding as he carefully made his way back towards the castle, avoiding the guards on his way. He kept replaying what Merlin had said, but none of it made any sense. He was determined to keep watch, though. Merlin _had_ bested him at the Tournament, so Arthur would be wise to keep his guard up.

Arthur had been down to the dungeons under the castle before and as he traveled through the corridors in his memory, he didn't remember any chamber large enough to hold a dragon. He also couldn’t imagine his father keeping such a huge secret from him. Surely Uther would have had the dragon killed instead of keeping it prisoner.

Arthur hid himself behind a large stone column that overlooked the east side of the courtyard so that he could see the grate that provided air circulation to the dungeons, and he waited.


	2. a time to consider, a time to act

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for Merlin Memory Month! This chapter inspired by Day 8, Path 3 _A time to consider, a time to act_.

Arthur nearly fell asleep twice while on watch. The second time, his head rolled to the left and hit the stone column. He jolted awake with his head throbbing. 

Maybe there really wasn’t a dragon. Or maybe Merlin hadn’t managed to free it. 

Arthur was walking back through the front door and towards his own chambers when he was halted in his tracks by a loud scraping sound. He delicately turned on his heel and started to walk down the hallway, silently hoping that no guards would come running. 

And then a harsh, bellowing roar echoed out over the courtyard and a chill went down Arthur’s spine. He’d never heard a dragon before but if he had to guess, that’s exactly what a dragon would sound like. 

He started running towards the courtyard, glad he still had his sword in his belt, when he noticed movement off to his left. The vague shapes of two figures disappeared down the dark corridor. Arthur could only assume that Merlin and Will were trying to make their escape.

Arthur hesitated. He couldn’t allow a dragon to terrorize Camelot. But he had no idea how to kill a dragon and if Merlin knew about the dragon in the first place, he might know how to kill it. And if he didn’t follow Merlin now, he might never be able to find him.

Arthur held his breath, waiting to hear anything else. Now was not the time for indecision, and he could hear his father berating him in his head as he debated with himself. A few heartbeats later, and the Dragon hadn't roared again. So he took off down the corridor where he’d seen the figures disappear. 

They weren’t out in the corridor, but that hallway only led to the eastern tower. And Gaius’ room. Arthur sucked in a breath, immediately fearing for Gaius’ safety. But as Arthur crept closer, he noticed the thin line of candlelight spilling out at the bottom of Gaius’ door. Now Arthur was suspicious instead of fearful. He leaned forward to press his ear to the door.

“Balinor says hello,” a voice murmured.

“My boy, you’re his son?” Gaius asked, his voice surprised.

“We can’t stay long,” another voice said.

“But are you certain that the Dragon-” Gaius started to ask. Arthur had heard enough to know that Merlin and Will where inside and Gaius hadn't known they wer ecoming. He pushed open the door with his left hand, and drew his sword with his right. 

“Arthur!” Gaius gasped.

As he stepped into the room, Merlin startled and bumped into the table he was standing next to. Two vials fell onto the floor and shattered and Merlin whispered “ow” as he straightened up. Arthur rolled his eyes, completely unimpressed with Merlin's complete lack of reflexes. At least Will had the good sense to tense and get into a battle stance, his own sword drawn. He stood in front of Merlin, trying to protect him.

Merlin put both his hands up when he looked over and noticed Will’s sword, his face scrunched up with worry. 

“You better tell me what the hell is going on right now,” Arthur said, looking over Will’s shoulder at Merlin. 

Gaius tried to intervene with his hands up in a gesture of peace. He took a step closer to Merlin and Will. “Arthur, they were just leaving. I happen to know the boy’s father and -” 

“I know about the dragon,” Arthur said bluntly. Gaius audibly sucked in a breath, but Merlin’s eyes never left Arthur’s face. He didn’t even flinch. 

“How about you both lower your swords, and we can discuss this,” Gaius soothed.

“If he lowers it first,” Arthur said, tilting his chin towards Will.

“Do it, Will,” Merlin commanded. Merlin was looking at Arthur calmly, as if Merlin didn’t feel the least bit threatened. 

“Oh, he speaks,” Arthur quipped, trying to annoy Merlin and incite some kind of reaction. It was infuriating how completely undisturbed he was. The Prince of Camelot had just threatened him with a sword, after all. But instead of getting angry, Merlin’s lips twitched up into a smirk. 

Will glanced back over his shoulder at Merlin, and then sighed roughly before he lowered his sword. Arthur followed suit, his eyes on Will’s sword hand.

“Just tell me how to kill it,” Arthur said. He took a step backwards, intentionally trying to block the doorway.

“You can’t,” Merlin said as he stepped out from behind Will. “And he’s long gone, anyway. He’s gone to see the Dragonlord.” 

“There are no more Dragonlords,” Arthur said hesitantly. He looked over at Gaius, who would surely confirm what Arthur already knew.

Gaius was still looking at Merlin, his mouth open and his eyebrows raised in surprise like he was taken aback by what Merlin had said. Gaius slowly turned to Arthur with a sigh.

“I’m afraid Merlin is not lying to you, Arthur. There lives a Dragonlord.”

He could barely believe what he was hearing. His father had told him all the Dragonlords had been killed during the purge, when the dragons had been killed. And yet in the span of a few minutes, he’d learned that either his father was completely oblivious to what was under his own castle or he was a liar. If Arthur stopped to consider the implications of either of those things being true, he’d have to reassess everything he thought he knew about his father. Maybe he wasn't the all-knowing and all-seeing King he claimed to be.

“Where is this Dragonlord?” Arthur pressed. 

Gaius stepped towards Arthur, shaking his head.

“Arthur, Merlin doesn’t know. As long as the Dragon is gone, it seems that no one is in any danger. Maybe we should just try to get some sleep and -” 

Merlin took a step out from behind Will in order to move closer. Arthur didn’t miss the way Will instinctively reached out to grab Merlin’s arm, holding him back. Gaius stopped talking, his eyes narrowed at Merlin.

“We could take you to him. But only if you don’t tell your father,” Merlin said. Gaius sighed heavily but Arthur didn’t look over at him. Will scoffed and raked his hand through his hair as if annoyed by Merlin's actions. Merlin’s shoulders were squared and his eyes were piercing, and the symbol that had been on Merlin's tournament tunic suddenly made sense. Merlin looked as unyielding and impenetrable as the ice that capped the mountains during the winter.

As Arthur considered his offer, he realized he had no leverage. He didn't have anything Merlin needed or wanted. His first duty was to Camelot and that meant he had to figure out whether the Dragon was a danger to his people. And the only way to do that now was to find the Dragonlord. 

“If you don’t, and if this is all some kind of trap, my father will find out. Gaius is a witness,” Arthur pointed out as he crossed his arms. But his mind was already made up.

“Obviously,” Will said with disdain. Merlin was watching Arthur, a small smile on his face for only a heartbeat before he schooled his expression. 

“I need to go to my chambers and get some supplies,” Arthur said. 

Merlin nodded, solemn again. He turned back to Gaius. “Sorry about all this, Gaius. I hope we get to meet again in better circumstances.”

“That’s alright, my boy. Best of luck to you.” And then Gaius pulled Merlin into a hug. Arthur looked between them, flabbergasted. Arthur hadn’t received a hug from Gaius since he was a child. 

Merlin ducked out the door, followed by Will and Arthur.

“Wait,” Arthur said as he turned back around. “I have to write a note for my father. Or else he’ll think something has happened to me.” Arthur stepped back through the doorway with Merlin and Will at his heels. Gaius shuffled around to pull an inkwell from a shelf as well as a quill and an extra piece of parchment, which he handed to Arthur.

“What will you tell him?” Merlin asked as he watched Arthur sit down at a wooden bench, quill raised above the parchment. 

“The truth. I’m looking for a dragon.”

\---

After grabbing his bedroll, leaving the note in his chambers, and convincing Merlin and Will that a couple of horses wouldn’t be missed from the royal stables, the three of them rode out of Camelot. It wasn’t strictly true that the horses wouldn’t be missed, but Arthur did not want to walk all the way to wherever the hell it was that they were going. 

They barely reached the outskirts of Camelot before Merlin called for them to stop. The darkness was still thick around them and their horses had to travel slowly in order to avoid trees and underbrush. Merlin said they’d need to ride all day to reach their destination, so he wanted to rest before he fell asleep on his horse. Arthur volunteered to take first watch, and Merlin and Will didn’t protest. 

He regretted volunteering fairly quickly as he’d been up all day and most of the night, and the quiet of the woods threatened to lull him into sleep. He didn’t know if Merlin and Will would just leave him though, so he kept himself awake by trying to guess where they were going. He had been out on patrols with the Knights before but there were a number of villages to the East and South of where they were, so he couldn’t be sure where Balinor lived.

As dawn started to break, the light filtering in from the trees must have woken Merlin. Arthur watched as he sat up and stretched his arms over his head. He smacked his lips and looked around with bleary eyes. The way his dark sleep-tousled fringe fell across his forehead, the way his ears stuck out, and the thin, delicate nature of his wrists made him look so soft in the morning light. If Arthur hadn’t seen him fight the previous day he would not have believed he was looking at Camelot’s Tournament Champion. 

“What?” Merlin asked when he noticed Arthur staring.

“Why’d you agree to take me with you?” Arthur asked, instead of verbalizing any of the entirely inappropriate observations he’d been making about Merlin.

Merlin shrugged and looked away, considering his answer. He got up and started rolling up his bedroll before he responded.

“Kilgharrah, the Dragon, he said some things to me. Mostly, he wanted me to reconsider my opinion of you,” Merlin said slowly, not looking at Arthur.

“Dragons can talk?” Arthur was surprised. He hadn’t even considered the possibility that Merlin had been gone so long under the castle because he’d been _talking_ to the Dragon. Arthur had always assumed the stories about Dragons were true - that they were brutish and destructive creatures of magic, blindly doing the bidding of Warlocks. 

Merlin smiled slightly. “Some of them.” 

And then the rest of Merlin’s statement caught up with Arthur.

“Wait, what did you think about me before?” Arthur huffed.

Merlin laughed, the sound bright and honest, and Arthur felt his annoyance slipping away to something else entirely. 

Before Merlin could answer, Will grumbled awake. Merlin’s laugh must have woken him. “Oi! Is it time to go?” 

“Arthur can sleep for a bit. Then we’ll leave. We have plenty of time to make it home by nightfall,” Merlin said.

Arthur’s brain immediately latched on to the possibility of sleep, but he didn’t want to wake up alone.

“How do I know you won’t leave me here?” Arthur watched as Will looked over at Merlin with a shrug. His question was a valid one, and Will seemed to know it. Merlin paused with his hands shoved into his pack.

“We have to make something to eat before we leave, anyway. And we’re going to Ealdor.” Arthur scrutinized Merlin’s face for a moment, but Merlin didn't look away. And Arthur desperately needed sleep, so he nodded. He had learned how to track from the best Knights in Camelot. If he had to, he’d track them down. 

Arthur unrolled his bedroll and laid down, looking over to watch Merlin’s lithe frame as he continued unpacking a pot and some food. Will got up to help and Arthur drifted asleep to the sound of a fire crackling to life.


	3. things to reveal, things to hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ealdor is full of surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for Merlin Memory Month! This chapter inspired by Day 9, Path 3 _Things to hide/Things to reveal_. I apologize for this being posted way late, but the plot got away from me.
> 
> Thank you so much for Midrashic for beta'ing this chapter as part of my bid from Fandom Trumps Hate.

Merlin and Will were definitely hiding something from Arthur but he had no idea what. Both of them rode ahead of him and at one point Will craned his neck to whisper something to Merlin that Arthur could not hear. Merlin shook his head, but didn’t answer him. Arthur felt uncomfortable being outside Camelot’s borders without any allies, and a sense of foreboding settled in his gut by the time they crested a hill and looked down on a small village that must have been Ealdor. 

“Welcome home!” Will called sarcastically over his shoulder. Arthur grimaced but didn't comment. It seemed that Will was purposefully trying to goad him and Arthur’s patience was running low. 

As soon as they reached the first thatched roof hut in the village, Merlin stopped his horse and slid off in a tangle of arms and legs. Arthur realized the reason they didn't ride to Camelot was probably because they didn't have access to horses at all. For some reason, that thought made Arthur feel guilty. Not everyone in the outlying villages had access to the things Arthur took for granted.

Merlin held up a finger at Arthur as Will dismounted and took Merlin’s reins. “Wait here.” He turned to walk away, but then paused and turned back towards Arthur. “M’Lord.” 

Arthur snorted at Merlin’s quirked eyebrow and his sarcastic tone of voice. Merlin headed into one of the huts as Arthur dismounted swiftly and walked up to Will. He held out his reins but Will glared at him and didn’t take them. 

Arthur sighed. 

“Is there nowhere to house them? I have to talk to the Dragonlord,” Arthur said, his voice clipped. He didn’t plan on staying any longer than he had to but he couldn’t talk to the Dragonlord while leading his horse around. 

“You think there’s a _stable_ here? Have you ever even -” 

Before Will could finish his question, Merlin strode out of the hut he’d gone into, with a tall, broad-shouldered man in tow. The man had a thick beard and piercing eyes, and he walked confidently. He leveled his gaze at Arthur, and Arthur knew he must have been the man he’d come for. 

“Prince Arthur, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the man said. Arthur stuck out his hand and the Dragonlord grasped it firmly. “I am Lord Emrys, the Dragonlord.”

Arthur noticed the way Merlin’s mouth dropped open slightly, as if surprised. But then he snapped his mouth shut, avoiding Arthur’s gaze. The Dragonlord dropped Arthur’s handshake and waited, one hand on his hip. His lined face and calm demeanor made Arthur feel young and inexperienced, so he straightened up and attempted to deepen his voice to compensate.

“I cannot return to Camelot knowing that there exists a freed Dragon that could pose a threat to my people,” Arthur said. “I need to know where it is and what it is going to do.”

“So have you come for knowledge, young Pendragon? A wise quest, indeed. Come with me.” The Dragonlord turned on his heel and strode forward. Arthur turned his attention to Merlin and jiggled the reins in his hand, still unsure what to do with the horse. His horse tossed his head and snorted as if he was bored with the whole proceeding.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Here. I’ll take him. You better follow the Dragonlord.” Merlin stepped up to grab the reins from Arthur’s hand, and Arthur leaned down as Merlin got closer.

“You don’t think he’ll try to do something to me?” Arthur whispered, still feeling uncomfortable.

Merlin took one look at Arthur’s face and threw his head back with a loud, boisterous laugh. Arthur glared at him, his hand on the hilt of the sword stuck in his belt to look threatening. The gesture didn’t deter Merlin.

“You’ll be fine. Just try not to act like a spoiled noble.” Merlin nodded at Will, and then they both pulled the horses deeper into the village. Arthur trotted off to catch up to the Dragonlord, who disappared into one of the huts. There wasn’t a door for Arthur to knock on so he just stuck his head inside.

“Come in, Arthur. I want to explain what a Dragonlord is,” Lord Emrys said. He was seated on a wooden bench, his elbows resting on top of a dark wooden table. He gestured for Arthur to join him. Arthur cast his eyes around the inside of the modest but clean hut. There wasn’t much inside besides a second, smaller table, a few chairs, and some straw mattresses on the ground near the far wall. He hesitantly sat down on the bench.

“A Dragonlord is someone who can communicate with Dragons and make them obey. We are like kin to the Dragons.” The Dragonlord was staring at Arthur after he finished, as if he’d just related a great truth and he was waiting for Arthur’s reaction. 

“Where is the Dragon now?” Arthur pressed, hoping to steer the conversation in a more helpful direction.

“Do you wish to kill it, Arthur Pendragon? Because it cannot be killed without magic, and I know as well as you that magic is banned in Camelot,” he answered solemnly. 

Arthur narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his sword hilt. He couldn’t tell whether that was supposed to be a threat, but he didn’t appreciate the implication that the Dragonlord was only going to offer him grandiose statements and information that he already knew. 

“Merlin said you knew about Dragons. He said you could talk to the one that was freed. I don’t need to kill it if it will leave Camelot alone,” Arthur countered.

The Dragonlord sighed, and started to drum his fingers against the wooden tabletop. “Dragons have their own will.”

Arthur rolled his eyes, but Lord Emrys held his hand up and gestured for Arthur to wait. A moment later Merlin and Will burst into the hut, followed by a brown-haired woman wearing a thin white apron over her dress.

“Has he given you the Dragonlord speech yet?” Will teased as he clapped Arthur on the shoulder. Arthur brushed him off, and looked up to see Merlin grinning and clearly amused.

“Oh come now, the boys are probably famished. Let’s eat something before you talk business,” the woman tutted as she patted the Dragonlord on the shoulder and dropped a kiss on his head.

Arthur looked between the woman and Lord Emrys. Clearly there was a familiarity there, as if they were family. Or lovers. And then he noticed Merlin move past the woman to grab plates and cups from a shelf attached to the wall, his shoulders relaxed as he moved around in the small space. 

“Arthur probably won’t eat it unless it comes from the royal kitchen,” Merlin scoffed.

“Hey!” Arthur interjected, getting up from the bench and shooting Merlin a glare. He decided the polite thing to do would be to introduce himself to the woman, especially if she was going to make him food. She was busy taking bowls and food off the shelf to put on the other table when Arthur got up.

“Ma’am, I’d be honored to have a hot meal and a place to stay the night,” Arthur said. The woman turned around and beamed at Arthur. She put out her hand, and Arthur brought it to his lips.

“It’s Hunith. And you can stay as long as you need to.” Her bright blue eyes reminded Arthur of Merlin. She continued moving things to the table and Arthur turned around to see Merlin gawping at him. The look made Arthur think he must have either insulted Merlin or done something completely unexpected, but either of those things counted as a win in Arthur's book.

“Arthur, there’s something you should see. Come along, Merlin,” the Dragonlord said as he got up from the bench. Arthur looked over at Merlin, who just shrugged. The three of them left Will and Hunith in the hut and walked to the edge of the village, where there was a large open field.

Before Arthur had a chance to question what the meaning of this excursion was, Lord Emrys tilted his head up towards the sky and let out a guttural cry, some unknown word ripped from his throat as if he was a man possessed. 

“Father!” Merlin gasped, but the Dragonlord was still talking. Arthur immediately jumped in front of Merlin and drew his sword, fearing that the man was performing some kind of deadly magic, but then Merlin’s words registered. 

“Wait, he’s your _father_?” Arthur hissed over his shoulder. Merlin rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged, looking sheepish. But a huge shadow suddenly covered the field and Arthur whipped his head back around. There was enough light from the setting sun to see the outline of the shape flying towards them. Its huge wings were outspread and its long neck craned down to look at them as it flew downwards and landed with a thud.

Arthur gasped, but kept his sword up. The Dragonlord had stopped talking and the dragon turned to gaze at Arthur with intelligent eyes. 

“Ah, Prince Arthur. It is nice to meet you, although this is most unexpected,” the dragon said in a deep, gravelly voice. 

“You know who I am?” Arthur was taken aback. He brought his sword tip to the ground, hopeful that if the Dragon could talk there would be no need for violence.

“Of course. Merlin has brought you here to meet me, I presume,” the Dragon said. And then his lips curled up, as if he was smiling. 

Arthur looked over his shoulder at Merlin again with a raised brow. 

“You know, this wasn’t my plan. This was Father’s doing,” Merlin said as he crossed his arms and walked up until he was standing next to the Dragonlord. Whose name was apparently Balinor, if he was truly Merlin’s father. Or maybe Merlin had lied about the origins of his birth the entire time.

“I’ve only brought Kilgharrah here so that Arthur may ask his questions,” the Dragonlord explained to Merlin as he stepped back with a sweeping gesture towards Arthur. 

Arthur refocused himself on the dragon, and took a tentative step forward, squaring his shoulders and attempting to act more courageous than he felt. 

“I need your word that you are not going to attack Camelot,” Arthur said.

The dragon made a rumbling sound in his chest and his head swung back and forth. He must have been laughing, although Arthur was surprised dragons could express themselves like that. 

“I mean it! I’ll have no choice but to strike you down if you pose a threat to the kingdom,” Arthur shouted this time and raised his sword, bewildered and unsure of what else to do. The dragon stopped laughing and glared at him. Arthur heard Merlin’s sharp intake of breath just to his left, which made him feel even more afraid and uncertain. But Arthur didn’t dare let his body language convey those feelings.

“You would do well not to threaten me, boy. I know your father has fed you lies, so I will forgive you. And I don’t have any intention of returning to Camelot. For now.” The Dragon’s sharp eyes stared at Arthur, and then he swung his head towards the Dragonlord. The man forcefully spoke some words from that unknown language, and then the Dragon lowered his head at Merlin in a bow before flapping its great wings and taking off. 

Arthur spun around to face the Dragonlord and Merlin, his sword still pointed forward.

“Your name is Balinor, isn’t it? Why have you lied to me?” Arthur asked sharply, looking between them. Neither of them looked the least bit impressed and Arthur could now see the family resemblance in the way they both cocked their eyebrows at him.

“Yes, I am Balinor. And I think the answer is fairly obvious, considering who your father is. But I have decided to show myself to you, in the hope that you will realize why you should not kill the dragon. Now I believe it is time to eat the dinner my wife has prepared for us.” He looked between Merlin and Arthur, and then strode off towards the hut. 

Arthur sheathed his sword, still reeling as he looked back at Merlin, who hadn’t made a move to leave. Arthur was still no closer to understanding how to kill the Dragon. But the Dragonlord proved he could control the dragon and it seemed that the Dragon could be reasoned with, so Arthur felt justified in standing down. For the time being.

“My father can be a bit much,” Merlin said to break the silence. 

“I guess you haven’t met my father, then,” Arthur replied stoically. Merlin looked genuinely pleased at Arthur’s joke and Arthur couldn’t help but return the smile.

“Look, I know you’re probably angry with me,” Merlin started to say as he scuffed the toe of his boot against the ground. “But I just wanted to protect my father. He’s only been able to live here because the King didn’t know where he was.” Merlin kept his gaze on the ground, and Arthur turned away to consider what Merlin had said. With the mention of the King, he remembered he’d have to go back to Camelot the next day. And his father would want an explanation.

Arthur considered saying something rude just to put Merlin firmly in his place, but held his tongue. Danger had been averted, and he felt grateful that he’d been able to meet a Dragonlord. He knew of few others who could claim the same, and it felt like a privilege that Merlin would trust him so much. Besides, he could definitely understand being protective of one’s father. 

“There’s something about you, Merlin,” Arthur mused. Merlin didn’t answer at first but his eyes were sparkling like he was pleased and he bit his bottom lip. The gesture made Arthur wonder what it would feel like if he was the one biting Merlin’s mouth like that. At that thought, Arthur had to restrain himself from reaching out to touch. Now that they were alone and safe, the attraction Arthur had immediately felt was resurfacing.

“Let’s go eat,” Merlin said, gesturing back towards the path his father had walked. 

“You know, I can’t really figure out why you lot are being so welcoming towards me,” Arthur said as he started off down the path, Merlin on his heels. 

“Well, it’s certainly not because you’re a nice person,” Merlin joked and elbowed Arthur in the side. Arthur elbowed him back, enjoying the easy camaraderie that had emerged between them. 

Once inside the hut, he and Merlin sat on one side of the table across from Hunith and Balinor. They passed around porridge and bread and it wasn’t very good but Arthur ate nearly half of it anyway because he really did feel famished. There were so many questions that Arthur should have been asking about Dragons, but he was much more interested in observing Hunith and Balinor. They were so comfortable and casual with each other as they talked about idle village gossip and their plans for the upcoming harvest. Sometimes they would draw Merlin or Arthur into their conversation, but it seemed as if they were in their own little world most of the time. It was fascinating to Arthur, who had never seen a man and a wife interact like equals. Their attitude set the tone of the hut and made Arthur feel warm and welcomed. He nearly laughed at himself for being so on edge when he first arrived.

Arthur looked over and caught Merlin staring at him, his lips turned up in a slight smile and his eyes warm. Arthur didn’t know what Merlin was thinking, and he asked if there was something on his face, but Merlin just huffed a laugh and turned away. The attention was making Arthur’s skin tingle, but the feeling wasn’t unpleasant. He thought back to what he’d hoped Merlin had asked him ahead of their meeting in the woods, and he decided to do something about it now.

After everyone was done, Arthur got up from the table and asked Merlin if he wanted to go for a walk. Merlin nodded eagerly, but then looked over at his mother. “Is it okay if I-”

“Yes, just don’t be back too late or I’ll get worried.” She waved them off and Merlin got up to follow Arthur out the doorway. 

“It’s just that I usually have to help clean up,” Merlin said as they walked out, looking at the ground. 

Arthur smiled. “I get it, Merlin. I am supposed to ask my father for permission to leave the table too.”

Merlin looked over at him quizzically and bumped his shoulder against Arthur’s. “I guess I figured the Prince didn’t have to ask anyone for permission to do what he liked.”

“It’s actually not that rare, even for a Prince,” Arthur joked, but there was truth to his words. Almost everyone in the palace still treated him like a child. He was always escorted from one event or meeting to another, and during training the senior Knights or Sir Leon were in charge of making sure he worked hard. He was constantly being watched and was expected to live up to the King’s expectations at all times. He rarely had time for himself. But now that he’d spent a quiet evening in Ealdor with Merlin’s family, laughing and joking and just being normal, he felt as if he could afford to let his guard down just a bit. 

Merlin led them to the outskirts of the village under a tall, leafy tree. Darkness had fallen and Arthur could barely see Merlin’s face. So he grabbed his arm and pulled him closer, his breath ghosting Merlin’s bottom lip. His pupils were blown wide as he stared at Arthur, looking quite surprised. His breathing had quickened, but he hadn’t pulled away. He looked so beautiful with the moonlight glinting off his hair, and his lips looked shiny from where he’d licked them. Arthur couldn’t remember a time he’d wanted something more than he did right then. 

“Tell me I haven’t overstepped,” Arthur asked, his voice trembling. 

Merlin gulped, but closed the short distance. Merlin’s lips were even softer than they looked, and Arthur’s heart was pounding in his chest as Merlin opened up to him. Arthur licked inside, reveling in the insistent press of Merlin’s tongue and the delicate sounds that Merlin was making against Arthur’s mouth. 

When Merlin pulled back slightly, Arthur nearly tripped trying to lean forward to chase after him. Merlin put his hands on Arthur’s shoulders to steady him. “You’re a prince. And you return to Camelot tomorrow,” Merlin breathed.

“We’re a little past taking this back now, don’t you think?” Arthur quipped, his hands tugging at Merlin’s hips.

“I suppose we are. But we really need to go back before my mum sends a search party,” Merlin said with a laugh. And then he quieted, like he was considering his next words carefully. 

“What will you tell your father?” he asked gently. Arthur huffed and let his hands drop, frustrated. The King was the last person Arthur wanted to talk about right then. 

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. 

“Okay,” was all Merlin said in response. His long fingers moved to play with the hem of Arthur’s shirt. 

“Really? You don’t want to ask me anything else?”

“Not if you don’t know the answers, M’Lord,” Merlin said softly, his voice sultry and teasing. It was entirely unfair how quickly Arthur’s body was responding to that voice.

“How am I going to be able to sleep tonight?” Arthur bemoaned, pressing his forehead against Merlin’s, his hands seeking out Merlin’s hips again.

“I think the fact that my parents are right next to us might help,” Merlin said. Arthur saw the flash of his white teeth as he smiled wide, giving Arthur an exasperated look. Then he gave Arthur a gentle shove and they made their way back in the dark. Arthur walked along obediently, but his skin felt too tight and his fingers itched to touch again. 

By the time they returned, all the candles had been blown out. Merlin guided Arthur with a hand on his elbow, navigating him past the table and bench. 

“Is that you, son?” Hunith whispered. Merlin whispered back in the affirmative and then he gently pushed Arthur down onto the ground, clearly trying to indicate where he should sleep. Arthur reached behind himself to guide his way down. Straw poked his skin, but he still felt warm where Merlin had pushed him. He didn’t want to say anything lest Merlin's parents hear them but he felt near to bursting from all the access energy that was making his stomach churn. So when Merlin lay down facing the other direction, he shoved his foot in the vicinity of Merlin’s face. 

Merlin grumbled and pushed his foot away with his hand, and Arthur laughed quietly to himself. And then, as he lay there in silence, the reality of facing his father the next day started to set in.

He still wasn’t sure what he was going to tell the King, but he knew without a doubt that if his father was told that Balinor controlled a Dragon, he would not let that stand. Knights would descend on Ealdor and there would be casualties. In the end, the Dragon would surely win.

And Merlin might never forgive him.

\---

Arthur hadn’t saddled his own horse since he was a child but when he asked Merlin to do it the next morning, he just scoffed and said, “You must be joking.” Arthur rolled his eyes but eventually got the saddle situated, and put his foot into his stirrup to mount up. Merlin handed him the reins of the second horse and Arthur tied them around the pommel. He had already thanked Hunith and Balinor profusely. He'd decided to leave one of Camelot’s bay horses in Ealdor as a token of his appreciation. He waved to his hosts and then looked down at Merlin. 

Looking at his bright eyes and shy smile made Arthur consider staying even longer but he knew Uther would probably do something drastic if Arthur did not return.

“Try not to be too much of a prat,” Merlin said as he shaded his eyes from the early morning sun. Arthur snorted.

“Right. Well you try not to get into trouble with the Dragon,” Arthur said. He nudged his horse forward but after a few steps he stopped and turned to look back, mindful that Hunith and Balinor were within earshot. 

“I’ll see you, Merlin,” he said. And he intended to make that statement true.

\---

Once back in Camelot, Arthur handed the horses off to the stable boys and rushed up the stairs. He burst into the throne room, quite sure that he wanted to get the confrontation with his father over with as quickly as possible.

There were several people hunched over the big council table conversing with his father, who was seated in his chair. Gaius’ eyes darted over to glance at Arthur with concern, surely noticing Arthur's disheveled appearance. He was grateful that he’d thought to tear his own shirt, rub dirt on his face, and muss his hair before he’d returned, because he was sure he looked the part of the conquering hero.

“Arthur, I’ve been so worried about you,” his father said as he stood. “Tell us about your adventure. What of the Dragon?”

“I’ve killed it, Father. It’s no longer a threat to Camelot,” Arthur said gravely. He didn’t dare let his gaze waver from his father’s face, but he heard a few gasps from the gathered crowd. 

“Ah, well then, Arthur. I am proud. You have done a great deed for Camelot. Welcome home, son,” Uther said, loud enough for the entire room to hear. 

He was expecting his father to expose his lie and yell at him in front of the entire council, so he was too surprised by his father’s words to actually enjoy the praise. But he did recognize the opportunity that had presented itself and hurriedly turned to go back to his room. Uther spoke again before Arthur could leave and he froze, waiting.

“Oh, and Arthur? We are in the midst of preparations for your coming of age ceremony. I’ve taken the liberty of making some decisions on your behalf while you were away, but I do expect you to be involved in planning. You will get to enjoy your party once you put in the work to make it happen. Please do look over the guest list for a start,” Uther said. Arthur turned back around and one of the council members handed Arthur a scroll. 

“Thank you, Father.” Arthur took the scroll with a nod and a smile. This was one task he would be pleased to undertake. Namely because he could think of at least one son of a Lord who was going to be added to the list.


End file.
